Khuda
Bakhsh Library121-year-old, world-famous located on the bank of the Ganga on Ashok Raj Path, one would
be surprised to find a treasure of rare manuscripts and antiquities.
Khuda Bakhsh Khan was Born
in Chapra on 2nd August 1842, Khuda Bakhsh was brought up under the
guidance of his father who dedicated his life for the betterment of
humanity.
Educated
at Patna and Calcutta he started his professional career as Peshkar. In
1880 he was appointed the Government Pleader of Patna and in 1881 the
title of Khan Bahadur was conferred upon him for his social service. He
was elevated to the post of Chief Justice of Nizam's Court Hyderabad for
a period of three years in 1895.
Khuda
Baksh Khan was the founder of a “Public library” at Patna, India, which
is better known as Khuda Baksh Oriental Public Library. He acquired a
passion of collecting rare Arabic and Persian manuscripts from his
father who left him a collection of 1,400 manuscripts when he died in
1876.
Khuda Baksh added to his father’s collection, which reached 4,000 manuscripts in 1891, and in the same year he established the library. Incidentally, the first public libraries were established in Britain in 1850.
The Library has a good collection of rare manuscripts including a page of the Holy Qu’ran on parchment in Kufic script belonging to the 9th century AD. A collection of about forty Sanskrit manuscripts, written on palm leaf, also forms part of the Library’s possessions.
Currently the Library has a collection of 21,125 manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Turkish, Pushto, Sanskrit and Hindi in addition to printed books numbering 250,000 in several languages – Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, English, French, German, Russian and Japanese.
The government of India through an Act of Parliament, in 1969, declared it as Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library. It has assumed the responsibility of providing funds for its maintenance and development.
The Library has also undertaken to promote research activities in certain areas, such as Islamic Studies, Arabic, Persian and Urdu literature as well as comparative study of religion, Greek medicine, Tasawwuf, medieval Indian history and culture and national movements.
Khuda Baksh “was a man of striking personality” and “who has left India richer by a treasure surpassing the gifts of princes and millionaires.” He was rightly named Khuda Baksh ‘the gift of God.’
Khuda Baksh added to his father’s collection, which reached 4,000 manuscripts in 1891, and in the same year he established the library. Incidentally, the first public libraries were established in Britain in 1850.
The Library has a good collection of rare manuscripts including a page of the Holy Qu’ran on parchment in Kufic script belonging to the 9th century AD. A collection of about forty Sanskrit manuscripts, written on palm leaf, also forms part of the Library’s possessions.
Currently the Library has a collection of 21,125 manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Turkish, Pushto, Sanskrit and Hindi in addition to printed books numbering 250,000 in several languages – Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, English, French, German, Russian and Japanese.
The government of India through an Act of Parliament, in 1969, declared it as Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library. It has assumed the responsibility of providing funds for its maintenance and development.
The Library has also undertaken to promote research activities in certain areas, such as Islamic Studies, Arabic, Persian and Urdu literature as well as comparative study of religion, Greek medicine, Tasawwuf, medieval Indian history and culture and national movements.
Khuda Baksh “was a man of striking personality” and “who has left India richer by a treasure surpassing the gifts of princes and millionaires.” He was rightly named Khuda Baksh ‘the gift of God.’
He
was also honoured with another title of CIE in 1903. In spite of having
all these titles and honours he was a very simple man with
determination and vision. The library was his life-long achievement for
which he was committed and devoted. He spent whatever he earned on its
growth and as a result he was penniless. He had to borrow money for his
medical treatment.
The
Government of Bengal made him a generous grant of Rs. 8,000 to
liquidate his debts. He died on 3rd August 1908 at the age of 66, and
was buried in the premises of the Library.
The earliest item, from the point of antiquity, preserved in the library is a page of the Holy Quran, written on parchment in Kufic script which belongs to 9th century AD. An extremely valuable copy of the Holy Quran, dated AD 1269, in the Naskh script, written by renowned author of Abbaside period, Yaqut al-Mustasmi, richly decorated by floral and gilded margins, is yet another prized possession. A richly decorated copy of Holy Quran which was in the library of Raja Ram Narain Mauzoon, the deputy Nazim of Bihar at the time of the battle of Plassey, found its way to KBL.
Among other valued possessions is the copy of Tarikh-e-Khandan-e-Timuriah which is the only extant copy in the world. This excellent and profusely illustrated text narrates the history of Timur and his descendants till the 22nd reginal year of Akbar. It has been authenticated by Shah Jahan by his personally written note. The paintings numbering about 133 are among the finest creations of the Mughal imperial atelier under Akbar.
The library boasts of the only extant copy of famous Persina work Diwan-e-Hafiz. It was preserved in the Mughal imperial library and the Mughal emperors used it for bibliomancy or consulting the book for deciphering omens. The manuscript bears the notes made by Humayun and Jahangir in their own handwritings.
There are two other highly valued possessions — Shah Nama of the 16th century and Padshah Nama of the 17th century. The first one offers a detailed account of the reign of Sultan Mohammad III of Turkey and was preserved in Shah Jahan's library.
The second one offers a full account of the life of Shah Jahan and contains pictorial presentations of some of the important monuments of Shah Jahan's time, including Taj Mahal and Jami Masjid.
Among Arabic manuscripts, two are of special mention. The first is the 'Kitab-al-Hashaish' which deals with medicinal plants and herbs and contains exquisite paintings. It was transcribed from Greek to Arabic in 11th century. The other is 'Kitb-al-Tasreef', which deals with surgery.
The library also has a collection of 40 Sanskrit manuscripts, written on palm leaf, and some are in Mithilakshar also.
Three of these are unique in significance, including one which is a five century old collection of Upanishad. KBL possesses a bilingual history of the Saracens (Arabs) in Latin and Arabic. It was printed as early as 1625 and is the oldest printed book in the library.
The library also has a copy of Lord Byron's Ode to Napoleon wherein two additional stanzas have been added in what is considered to be Byron's own handwriting. There is also a diary of Napoleon bearing the seal of the personal secretary of Napoleon III.
One of the gems that we discovered at Patna was the Khuda Bakhsh Library.
A unique repository of about 21,000 oriental manuscripts, preserves this rich collection written in gold and colour. It has emerged as an internationally-known centre for research in Indo-Islamic literature and medieval history. The 121-year- old library is well on its way to become the country's first library to computerize its handwritten collection for universal dissemination through a website in fulfillment of the wishes of Jawaharlal Nehru. The first prime minister, during his visit to the library, had penned down in the visitor's book on November 1, 1953, "I should like to see them reproduced by the latest techniques, so that others can see them and share in this joy."
Though founded earlier, it was opened for public in October 1891 by the illustrious son of Bihar, Khan Bahadur Khuda Bakhsh, with 4,000 manuscripts, of which he inherited 1,400 from his bibliophile father Maulvi Mohammed Bakhsh. Khuda Bakhsh Khan donated his entire personal collection to the people of Patna by a deed of trust. Acknowledging the immense historical and intellectual value of its rich and valued collection, the Government of India declared the Khuda Bakhsh Library (KBL) an Institution of National Importance by an act of Parliament in 1969. The Library is now fully funded by the Union ministry for Culture. Under its modernization programme, the library has already established its own website for the benefit of readers across the world.
During the first war of Independence in 1857, many rich libraries, including that of great Mughals, were destroyed and their treasures disappeared. Researchers said as the dust began to settle, these treasures found their way to new patrons, especially the Nawab of Rampur. Khuda Bakhsh Khan also became a bidder of this treasure. His noble reputation paid rich dividends and booksellers flocked to his residence in large numbers. So great was his passion that he retained the services of Mohammad Maqi for 18 years at a monthly salary of Rs 50, asking him to travel to distant regions of Egypt, Syria, Iran and Arabia to purchase manuscripts. As a result, many rare and unique manuscripts came to him, including some which were the only extant copies of priceless value. Over time, his collection came to be more widely known and used compared to the other identical collections in the subcontinent.
When Maulvi Mohammad Bakhsh was on his death bed in 1876, he entrusted his whole collection of manuscripts and books to his son and wished him to open a library for the public whenever he found himself in a position to do so. Khuda Bakhsh, thus, inherited from his father the love for books and dedication to public service.
An Orientalist of Edinburgh, England, V Scott O'Connor was so impressed with this collection that he remarked, "The Patna Oriental Public Library is one of the finest collections on Moslem literature in the world." The British Museum once made Khuda Bakhsh a magnificent offer for his collection but he declined. "I am a poor man and the sum they offered me was a princely fortune, but could I ever part for money with that to which my father and I have dedicated our lives?" he told to O'Connor. "No," he said, "the collection is for Patna and the gift shall be laid at the feet of the Patna public."
The KBL contains over 21,000 manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Turkish, Hindi and Sanskrit and palm leaves. These include the splendour of arts of Iranian, Mughal, Central Asian, Kashmiri and Rajasthani schools besides Calligraphic masterpieces. It has more than 2.5 lakh printed books in different languages like Arabic, Persian, Urdu, English, Hindi, French, German, Japanese and Russian on various subjects. Another important part of the collection includes about 3,000 epistles of eminent literary personages. Four manuscripts of the library in Arabic and Persian have been declared as part of Vigyan Nidhi (Manuscript Treasure of India) by the National Mission for Manuscripts in 2006.
"The library is one of the richest repositories of the intellectual centre of Patna. At the same time, it is a major centre for dissemination of knowledge all the over the world," said KBL director Imtiaz Ahmad. He said over the years, it has transformed itself into a modern library. It is one of the most vibrant cultural and academic centres, organizing seminars, workshops, lectures and academic programmes in a regular manner.
The library specializes in Islamic studies, Tibb (Unani medicine), Tazkira (biography), Tasawwuf (mysticism), comparative religions, medieval history, South-East Asian history, West Asian history, Central Asian history, medieval science, literature on freedom movement and national integration as also Urdu, Persian and Arabic literatures. The library's nomination for inclusion in the UNESCO's World Heritage is under active consideration. A proposal to introduce professional courses especially in Manuscriptology and conservation techniques at the KBL is also under consideration.
Khuda Bakhsh's scholarly and bibliophilic efforts were widely appreciated. At least three Viceroys - Lord Elgin in 1895, Lord Curzon in 1903 and Lord Minto in 1906 - visited the library during the lifetime of Khuda Bakhsh. Curzon's visit was particularly welcome since it came at a time when Khuda Bakhsh had fallen to bad days. He was conferred the title of Companion of the Indian Empire.
A unique repository of about 21,000 oriental manuscripts, preserves this rich collection written in gold and colour. It has emerged as an internationally-known centre for research in Indo-Islamic literature and medieval history. The 121-year- old library is well on its way to become the country's first library to computerize its handwritten collection for universal dissemination through a website in fulfillment of the wishes of Jawaharlal Nehru. The first prime minister, during his visit to the library, had penned down in the visitor's book on November 1, 1953, "I should like to see them reproduced by the latest techniques, so that others can see them and share in this joy."
Though founded earlier, it was opened for public in October 1891 by the illustrious son of Bihar, Khan Bahadur Khuda Bakhsh, with 4,000 manuscripts, of which he inherited 1,400 from his bibliophile father Maulvi Mohammed Bakhsh. Khuda Bakhsh Khan donated his entire personal collection to the people of Patna by a deed of trust. Acknowledging the immense historical and intellectual value of its rich and valued collection, the Government of India declared the Khuda Bakhsh Library (KBL) an Institution of National Importance by an act of Parliament in 1969. The Library is now fully funded by the Union ministry for Culture. Under its modernization programme, the library has already established its own website for the benefit of readers across the world.
During the first war of Independence in 1857, many rich libraries, including that of great Mughals, were destroyed and their treasures disappeared. Researchers said as the dust began to settle, these treasures found their way to new patrons, especially the Nawab of Rampur. Khuda Bakhsh Khan also became a bidder of this treasure. His noble reputation paid rich dividends and booksellers flocked to his residence in large numbers. So great was his passion that he retained the services of Mohammad Maqi for 18 years at a monthly salary of Rs 50, asking him to travel to distant regions of Egypt, Syria, Iran and Arabia to purchase manuscripts. As a result, many rare and unique manuscripts came to him, including some which were the only extant copies of priceless value. Over time, his collection came to be more widely known and used compared to the other identical collections in the subcontinent.
When Maulvi Mohammad Bakhsh was on his death bed in 1876, he entrusted his whole collection of manuscripts and books to his son and wished him to open a library for the public whenever he found himself in a position to do so. Khuda Bakhsh, thus, inherited from his father the love for books and dedication to public service.
An Orientalist of Edinburgh, England, V Scott O'Connor was so impressed with this collection that he remarked, "The Patna Oriental Public Library is one of the finest collections on Moslem literature in the world." The British Museum once made Khuda Bakhsh a magnificent offer for his collection but he declined. "I am a poor man and the sum they offered me was a princely fortune, but could I ever part for money with that to which my father and I have dedicated our lives?" he told to O'Connor. "No," he said, "the collection is for Patna and the gift shall be laid at the feet of the Patna public."
The KBL contains over 21,000 manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Turkish, Hindi and Sanskrit and palm leaves. These include the splendour of arts of Iranian, Mughal, Central Asian, Kashmiri and Rajasthani schools besides Calligraphic masterpieces. It has more than 2.5 lakh printed books in different languages like Arabic, Persian, Urdu, English, Hindi, French, German, Japanese and Russian on various subjects. Another important part of the collection includes about 3,000 epistles of eminent literary personages. Four manuscripts of the library in Arabic and Persian have been declared as part of Vigyan Nidhi (Manuscript Treasure of India) by the National Mission for Manuscripts in 2006.
"The library is one of the richest repositories of the intellectual centre of Patna. At the same time, it is a major centre for dissemination of knowledge all the over the world," said KBL director Imtiaz Ahmad. He said over the years, it has transformed itself into a modern library. It is one of the most vibrant cultural and academic centres, organizing seminars, workshops, lectures and academic programmes in a regular manner.
The library specializes in Islamic studies, Tibb (Unani medicine), Tazkira (biography), Tasawwuf (mysticism), comparative religions, medieval history, South-East Asian history, West Asian history, Central Asian history, medieval science, literature on freedom movement and national integration as also Urdu, Persian and Arabic literatures. The library's nomination for inclusion in the UNESCO's World Heritage is under active consideration. A proposal to introduce professional courses especially in Manuscriptology and conservation techniques at the KBL is also under consideration.
Khuda Bakhsh's scholarly and bibliophilic efforts were widely appreciated. At least three Viceroys - Lord Elgin in 1895, Lord Curzon in 1903 and Lord Minto in 1906 - visited the library during the lifetime of Khuda Bakhsh. Curzon's visit was particularly welcome since it came at a time when Khuda Bakhsh had fallen to bad days. He was conferred the title of Companion of the Indian Empire.
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